A printer is controlled by software called a printer driver which normally runs on a client computer. The printer driver has two major functions. One function allows a user to perform a print setting. Generally, the function includes a user interface (UI). The other function converts a rendering instruction sent from an application into print data (in page description language (PDL)) which can be interpreted by the printer, and transmits the data to the printer. These functions are realized in cooperation with an operating system (OS) on the client computer.
Further, the printer driver has a function called secure print, which is discussed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2001-318779. This function allows the user to input a password before printing is performed with the printer. When the user provides a print instruction, the printer driver automatically displays a pop-up dialog on the screen of the client computer, prompting the user to input a password. The secure print is realized by adding the input information to the print data.
When specifications of an OS, which generally cooperates with the printer driver, are changed, the user may find difficulty in using the functions realized by the printer driver or may not be able to use the functions. Examples of the OS specification change include an OS design that employs a new UI optimized for touch-panel devices such as a smartphone. When such a new OS is used, only a part of the functions, which is associated with the UI provided by the printer driver for the previous OS, are supported by the new UI. The functions not supported by the UI are, for example, executed on the new OS on a different screen, which is provided for a previous application. However, in many exceptional UI functions such as an automatic pop-up dialog (e.g. the above-described secure print), usability thereof is not fully considered for the new OS.
As examples of similar exceptional UI functions provided by a printer driver, there are dialogs requesting department information for departmental management and designation of a file path for a file storage setting. A similar UI function is used for address designation in a facsimile driver.